BENIN'S KINGS & QUEEN: POWER-SHARING

                                   Cross-comparison between a Iyoba head and an Oba head
(fig. 1)

(fig. 2)

HISTORY ON HOW POWER-SHARING AND RESPECT DEVELOPED IN BENIN REGARDING WOMEN
Queen Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, king of Benin from the late fifteenth to the early sixteenth century, played a key role in her son's military campaigns against the Igala people, which may have been over control of the Niger waterway. Benin finally won these wars and made the Igala king a vassal of the Oba.

A brass head representing Queen Idia was made to be placed in her altar following her death. It is said that Oba Esigie instituted the title of Queen Mother and established the tradition of casting heads of this type in honour of her military and ritual powers. Such heads were placed in altars in the palace and in the Queen Mother's residence.

(fig. 3)

Iyoba N’Errua during her title-taking ceremonies, with chiefs and bearer of the ada sword. Iyoba’s palace, Benin City, 1981
Kaplan says she looks masculine by: appearing with the higheset levels of court chiefs
Closely cropped hair, wearing coral insignias used for high ranking men
A high collar, coral anklets
She holds the eben or sword used by chiefs to pay homage to the Oba.

(fig. 4)
Head of a Queen Mother, Nigeria, Edo; Court of Benin, 18th-19th Century, Brass, iron; h. 20.5 inches

(fig. 5)
Wives of the Oba of Benin (Photograph by Joseph Nevadomsky)























VIDEOS TO WATCH!!
VIDEO 1: HISTORY OF BENIN
VIDEO 2: ENTRANCE OF THE QUEEN DANCE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LXGJtPitaQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1kPYPhavKA&feature=relmfu